Thursday, 27 April 2017

This is the hardest letter I have ever written, and I know you may hate me for this, but when we first met, I promised you that there would be no secrets between us.
Over the last two years, you have seen me at my best and you have seen me at my worst, (Forward facing camera from a low angle) and you have always been there for me.

Dearest iPhone, I fear that I may be about to cheat on you with a younger model. I have had my head turned by something exciting and new, and I fear that this could be the beginning of the end for us.

I have only met this model once, I wish I could say it was a chance meeting, but I was asked to go and met them, and, oh god, I am sorry, I was weak. In the heat of the moment, and with the offer of some food and alcohol, I readily agreed to go to meet them at The Alchemist in Leeds. I promise you, it was not a date. There were lots of people there, it wasn't an intimate thing between the two of us.

But I met this new model, you may have heard of it, it is the Samsung S8, and I was tempted. If I am honest, I am STILL tempted.

It isn't you, it is me. You have never let me down, even though we do have a bit of a battery issue, but we get through that by me carrying a battery pack everywhere and a spare lead, THAT is what a good team does for each other.

But this new model, phew, it has taken my breath away. You should see it, it is breathtaking. The smooth curves, the glossy finish, the 8MP front camera and the 12mp rear camera, as well as the 4K video recording, it just gives me something that I never knew was missing in our relationship.

I don't want to make comparisons between you but let us do just that.

The top picture is taken on the Samsung S8 and the bottom picture is on you, my beloved iPhone 6S

I do not mean to be unkind, but I have certain needs, and the Samsung S8 meets those photographic needs a lot more than you ever can I fear.

I was with friends when I met the new model, and all of them agreed that the Samsung S8 would make an excellent partner. We are all bloggers and if we concentrate on our photographic needs, then I am sorry, but S8 knocks it out of the park.

Can YOU add stickers to photos like this?

We both know that you can't.

Please do not beg, I am confused right now, I don't know what I want. You bring me so much joy with your Apple ways and we have been together for so long, I don't know if the Samsung S8 and I are compatible, I don't know if I could live with her Android ways after being nestled in the Apple Ecosystem for so long. I don't know if I am too old to try something new. But I can see my little face just lit up when I saw all the things that the S8 can do and I am not sure if we should have a break, just so I can see if myself and the Samsung S8 can make a real go of it.

Dear iPhone, I think I may be breaking up with you, I just don't know if you can fulfil my needs in the same way that the Samsung can.

I am sorry.

Much Love,

Ok, help me out here guys, what are your thoughts on this, I love my iPhone and everything it brings me but the Samsung S8 is superb, I loved trying it out. It is probably the only phone out there that could make me leave my Apple bubble. Who else has made the swap?

Let me know.

Small print, this post is part of a challenge to have the opportunity to take home a new Samsung phone. So SHOW ME SOME LOVE and comments, please.

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

Up until yesterday morning, I always charged my phone overnight, via my bedside lamp that has a USB charger in the back of it. Like most bloggers people, the thought of my iPhone dying halfway through the day fills me with the FEAR. I charge my phone overnight and then usually have it on charge at some point in the afternoon too.

Until yesterday morning, when I woke up to THIS.

It was absolutely white hot and the smell in the room was just absolutely awful, I quickly took the charger out of the USB and just felt SICK at the thought of what could have happened.

What if I was one of those people who stick their phone under their pillow?

Or what if one of my three children would have used that charger to charge up their phones? Leaving it plugged in for days on end without paying attention to it. It just really does not bear thinking about, does it?

When I posted the picture on Instagram, a lot of people commented, "Cheap charger, thats what happens when you buy a cheap charger" but I am pretty sure that this is not a cheap charger as we usually buy my chargers from Apple, or we get a new one with our new phones. In the last 4 years I know for definite that I haven't purchased a cheapo charger.

The wire was ever so slightly damaged, at the top, you know, where every single bloody Apple charger seems to give way, but I NEVER, EVER expected to wake up to the smell of burning, end up with a scorched bedside table and a small blister on my finger.

But I just keep thinking it could have been SO much worse.

Today, I beg you. PLEASE look at your chargers, ALL of them, check them for damage and if they are damaged, THROW THEM AWAY. Replace them if you can but please, if your charger is damaged in any way.

THROW THEM AWAY.

I won't say that my house would have burnt down, if I hadn't have noticed it, I just don't know what would have happened. I don't want to EVEN think about it.

Has this ever happened to you?

How would you feel if you woke up to this?

Plus, let me know if you check your chargers. Can we have something good come out of this please?

Thursday, 13 April 2017

When I first moved from London to Leeds, I found going to events quite daunting when I didn't know anyone at all. (That changed quickly, Leeds bloggers are possibly the friendliest bunch you can hope to meet) To be honest, I was always a little anxious about going anywhere where I didn't know anyone, until I found myself some entrance music.

Ok, so we can't always be as awesome as Kesha but the one thing I found helpful when entering a room was having some entrance music, either playing on my phone via earphones, or having a kickass song in my head, giving me some confidence to kick ass and take names. (This may be a bit of exaggeration, more like giving me the confidence to kiss ass and take pics, but you get the drift?)

My main song of choice over the years has always been The Raconteurs, Steady As She Goes, or occasionally, Killer Queen by Queen.

Before then, I would shake outside for at least 20 minutes, trying to build up the confidence to enter.

Now, I'm strutting. (well, not exactly but you know what I mean?)

So I'm asking today, do you have entrance music? Either to help you overcome anxiety or just because it gives you an extra boost of confidence?

If you do, what is your go-to tune?

If you don't and now I've got you thinking, what WOULD be the song you would love to enter a room too.

Monday, 10 April 2017

Like most women trying to balance a work life and home life, I RARELY get time to pamper myself so when I was invited down to Q61 in Leeds to experience their salon treatments and get some me time, I am not ashamed to say that I bit their hands off for the chance to relax and beautify myself.

What can I say, I LOVE the idea of taking some time to really relax and unwind and be pampered but when push comes to shove, if I have an hour to spare, the chances are I am going to end up cooking a meal, tidying away some clothes or doing some homework. Taking the time to spoil ourselves comes WAYYYYYYYYYY down on the list and usually gets pushed further down when something new comes up, am I right?

When my children was small, I considered being able to pee in peace, pampering.

But now, well now I am older, wiser and totally understand the concept of ME TIME, even though I may not always be able to execute the idea, but an evening at Q61?

I can make time for that.

Yes there were cupcakes, Is it even a blogger event if there are no cupcakes?

There were also individual eyelashes being attached, nails being painted and pedicures.

Now, I don't know how I got to 41 without having a pedicure but I was bricking it. I do not like my feet being touched, AT ALL, but in the spirit of trying to pamper myself, I sat in the booth and with only minimum screaming and slightly more giggling, I had my very first pedicure.

I didn't kick the poor lady in the face either, everyone is a winner, right?

Very wise words on the wall of Q61.

Now let me take a second to tell you just how wonderful the people behind Q61 are, a husband and wife team, they started Q61 after Mrs Q61 had a bad experience and they both decided that they could do a lot better, trust me, they can. The salon is chic, welcoming and has a relaxing calm air about it. I genuinely wish everyone lived in Leeds so they could experience it.

Plus, they had nice cupcakes.

Are you even a blogger if you don't move the official photographers camera a fraction to the left to create a shot?

Individual lashes being applied to the beautiful Jess.

If you are based in Leeds, I HIGHLY recommend paying Q61 a visit, I will definitely be returning myself. You can check out their website here -> www.Q61studio.co.uk or go and say hi, when you pass them on Duncan St.

Are you a salon fan? WOULD YOU BE, if you got the time to spare? Let me know